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Show Remediei of the jmperfeelion Book Itt, Chap. X f. and Abu/e of TVordi. 1. 55 --~----------~-~---------------- tice of it. Men's intentions in (peaking are, or at Jeail: fhould be, to be underflood, which cannot be without the frequent Explanations, Demands and other the like incommodious Interruptions, where Men do not fol: low common Ufe. Propriety of Speech, is that which gives our Thoughts entrance into other Men's Minds, with the greateil: cafe and advantage 1 and therefore deferves fame part of our Care and Study, efpceially in the names of moral Words, whofe proper ufe is to be lcarn'd from thofe, who in their Writing1 and Difcourfes, appear to have had the clearef\ Notions, and apply'd to them their Terms, with the bell: Choice and Clearnefs. This way of ufing a Man's Words, according to the Propriety of the Language, though it have not always the gooJ Fortune to be undcril:ood: Yet moll commonly leaves the blame of it on him, who i' fo unskilful in the Language he fpeaks, as not to underil:and it, when made ufe of, as it ought to be. , . ~· u.. Fourthly. But bccaufc common ufe has not to vifibly annexed any ftgnification to Words, ns to make Men know always certainly what they precifcly il:and for : And bccaufe Men in the Improvement of their 1\nowledge, come to have/dear different from the vulgar, and ordinary received ones, for which they mull: either' make new Words, (which Men fcldom venture to do, for fear of being thought guilty of Affectation, or Novelty,) or elfe muft ufe old ones! in a ncwSignification. Therefore after the Obfcrvation of the foregmng Rules, tt ts fomettmes neceffary, for the afcer5aining the fignification.of Words! to declare their Meanint, 1 where either common Ufc, has left tt un,certam and Joofe; (as tt has tn moft names of very complex Jdear;) t or where a, Maq ufe;; them, in a Senfe any way peculiar to himfelf; or wl!cre. the. Term being very material in the Difcourfc, and that upo,n , wh1clrtt chtef1y turns, ts !table to any Doubtfulnefs, or Miil:ake. 1. 1/ ~- 13. As the Ideas, Men's Words il:and for, ar~· of different (arts; fa the way of making known the Jtfeas, ,tiJ9Y Hand for, when there ts Occalion, is alfo different. For though defimng be thought the proper way, tD make k•o•v1 the proper Sigwificatif• of Words; yet th~re be fo.mc Words thai will not be defined, asthere.):>e others, 1~hof~ prectfc Mea.mng canna; be made !mown, but by Defininion : and, perhaps., a third, which partake fomewhat of both the other, as 1~e !hall fee iti the names•of fim• pie Etfeas, Modes, and Subil:anees. ·• ,,; ·,·J ·l , ~. q. Firff, When a Man make;; !lfe ~f the nam_e oC:•I!Y jimp/e Uea, which he perceives is not un,c!eril:ood< or ,ls · tn danger to .. be mtil:~ken, he is obliged by the Laws of Ingenuity, ~l\d the epd ,of.<~peech, to decla~e its Meaning, and make known" ha~ ltff(l;he mak!'S 'tt. fta11d ' for, , Thts as has been il1Cwed cannot be c)one ·by. Dq{inition 1; ,an!l th,erefo~q, :.vhen a fynony111ous Word fai)s tq do it, there is )Jut one o'( thefe ~qys , left. Firft, Sometimes the naming the Subjel11• w,herem thrf{. JimpJe Id~ ~r to be. foumj, will make ils name be und~rfl9g~ by thqfe, wh9 ore acqqamted .with that,SQbjeC\, and.J\rJow it by_,~hat ~me:. Sp .tOJlJlake a ,<;:.Quptry· man under~and what Feuij/emorte Co19YT ,ftgmfie.;{llt. may fuffice to tell him, 'tis thq Colour of wit!)cn'd L~v.c;s falliqg, in A~{q1'}•· Secontlly, But the only>fure way of making kr,q·ffi C!ll,<;,figniJ)~t.to.(l • of thc,!Ja(lle of any fimplc Ide4, is /;y pr,efc.~ting to IHA ~~,Yis 4~at {>~IJ)~~1, w/;JChtP"X pn· !fJce it in /;ir Mind, and '11Jil)<e him i\?\~"1\y. haVI'n~lJc f!dt• that Word .U;tndsfor. 11u<~·;. 1 J ,. 1: :J ·.J ·u~· ~ .-,fl·.,t,, ~ . · ~. ' 5-. S.ufJ.II(I.IN /!1i:te1iJ{I1P.d.~f, efwciallYJIJOfe,bclqpglllg to Moraltty, being moll:;Pf1them f~oh1Qw1Jbtnilt)9n~c;>fj~deqo; i1S tf1e.i)l(ind puts wge· thcr l of its owJ),choice·', .JIIl>iJo·Y i:JGre"o" f,JJ!l!Yc••e1no1J;always ~aqshp~ ,Pattl tcrn9 |